Simpler Living Blog

From College Kitchen to Our Dinner Table

From College Kitchen to Our Dinner Table

Ah, the college years. Did we even realize how good we had it? New friends, exciting (or not) courses, free time, parental units probably far away, little responsibility – at least compared to full adulthood/parenthood. College was where I learned to love coffee, where I found out I had a gift for making my roommates laugh…and also where I learned to cook!

After two years in the dorms, subsisting on cafeteria food (which, I must admit, was actually pretty good) and Ramen noodles cooked in hand-me-down hotpots, my girlfriends and I signed the lease on a townhouse close to campus, where we would live until graduation. It had a full kitchen, so one of the first routines we set up after we all moved in was the dinner schedule.

Breakfasts and lunches, we decided, were free-for-alls, but dinners would be sacred, in a way. We all came from good solid families where sitting down for nightly meals was the norm, and I’m sure we all (despite our burgeoning independence) longed for some of that stable “homey” feeling. So we each picked a night, and began to cook for each other.

Like most students, we were all living on a shoestring budget (I got paid $2 per typed page of notes I took for a Psych 101 class – imagine that!) so our meals were simple, hearty and shall we say, sometimes quite creative. And sure, during finals week we threw the cooking schedule out the window and ordered in pizza. But interestingly, some of the same recipes we each came to be known for, I use to this day. In fact, the following three are still some of my “go-to’s,” – 14 years, one husband, two jobs and three children later. Enjoy – and send some good thoughts to your college roomies as you cook them. I know I do!

The even heat from Rada's Stoneware 8x8 pan makes good meals great! At Lehmans.com.

The even heat from Rada’s Stoneware 8×8 pan makes good meals great! At Lehmans.com.

Kate’s Pineapple Chicken and Rice – I’ve been making this for my husband since we were married, and our children like it, too. It’s also semi-healthy (that Kate’s always been the health-conscious one).

From College Kitchen to Our Dinner Table

Ah, the college years. Did we even realize how good we had it? New friends, exciting (or not) courses, free time, parental units probably far away, little responsibility – at least compared to full adulthood/parenthood. College was where I learned...

Author
Lehman's

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked long-grain rice
  • 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
  • 1 cup pineapple juice, reserved
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Brown sugar, to taste
  • Lemon pepper, optional
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion, optional
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
  • Italian seasoning, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • Cooked spaghetti or angel hair pasta, for serving
  • 1 1/2 pounds ham loaf mix
  • 2/3 cup cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 crushed graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup dark corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a deep 8×8-inch casserole dish.
  3. Layer the dish with rice, pineapple, and chicken.
  4. Dot with butter.
  5. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  6. Repeat the layers until all rice, pineapple, and chicken are used.
  7. Combine the reserved pineapple juice and soy sauce in a small bowl.
  8. Pour the mixture over the casserole.
  9. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through.
  10. If desired, season the chicken with lemon pepper before cooking.
  11. Serve 4–6 people.
  12. Combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, onion, milk, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
  13. Mix thoroughly.
  14. Form the mixture into meatballs.
  15. Place the meatballs in a slow cooker.
  16. Pour the diced tomatoes over the meatballs.
  17. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the top.
  18. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6–7 hours.
  19. Add a little water if needed during longer cooking times.
  20. Serve over cooked spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
  21. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  22. Combine the ham loaf mix, oats, milk, egg, brown sugar, and crushed graham crackers.
  23. Mix thoroughly.
  24. Shape into a loaf or balls.
  25. Place in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
  26. Prepare the glaze.
  27. Pour the glaze over the loaf or balls.
  28. Bake for 1 hour.
  29. Combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan.
  30. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
  31. Pour over the ham loaf or ham balls before baking.
Did you make this recipe?Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

0 Comments

Share Lehman's

Lehman's

People Also Enjoyed Reading